Role models and true stories of contentment
From 16Guidelines
Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi gave up his career as a lawyer to campaign for justice and peace in areas such as the alleviation of poverty, religious tolerance, economic self-sufficiency, the rights of the ‘untouchables’ and - above all – for ‘swaraj’, Indian independence from foreign domination. However, his greatest legacy lies not solely in his actions but in the way that he chose to live. This is why he became known as the ‘Mahatma’ or ‘great soul.’
Gandhi was intensely interested in the issue of contentment, which he associated with a return to traditional values and a simpler way of life. “There is more to life than increasing its speed1” he said. He combined the role of an international statesman with a highly disciplined spiritual life that included lifelong vegetarianism, spending one day each week in silence, living as a celibate, and undergoing frequent fasts. “My life is my message” he said. “We must be the change we want to see in the world.”
The most visible and memorable example of Gandhi’s personal commitment to simplicity was his decision to adopt the traditional Indian loincloth or ‘dhoti’ as his style of dress. He also chose to weave it himself. On a visit to the UK, he was accused of being disrespectful for not wearing more clothes at a meeting with King Edward VIII. “The King was wearing enough for both of us!” was his response.
Gandhi’s commitment to simplicity permeated his life. In the political arena, it was a symbol of the differences between traditional Indian values and those of the British colonizers. In the social and economic sphere, he encouraged Indians to respect each other as equals, irrespective of caste, wealth or religious observance. He was also a passionate advocate of environmental sustainability.
Simplicity is not the same as contentment, although the two qualities often reinforce each other. It can be argued that Gandhi was never content with the political or economic developments that India went through in his lifetime. He could be judgemental about himself and about other people, and was always ready to speak up and campaign for change. However he combined this with a deep level of personal contentment which seems to have underpinned his capacity to be active in the world.
Jeffrey Lee
A shy 36 year-old Aboriginal tribal leader called Jeffrey Lee has turned his back on the opportunity to be one of the richest men in the world. An international nuclear power company wants to extract 14,000 tons of uranium in an area called Koongarra, of which he is the custodian. The uranium would be worth more than five billion Australian dollars. “I’m not interested in money. I’ve got a job. I can buy tucker. I can go fishing and hunting. That’s all that matters to me” says Lee. He is trying to ensure that this ecologically sensitive land will never be mined. “This is my country, look, it’s beautiful and I fear somebody will disturb it.”
by Lindsay Murdoch for The Age, Melbourne © 2007, The Age Newspaper, Melbourne.
